Peace, Or Whatever This is Called
by paige93
Summary: PostBattle, AU, my own take on Marriage Law.
1. Chapter 1

A/N- My own spin on the classic Marriage Law. All characters except the unrecognizable belong to Ms. Rowling, as well as the universe.

Peace, Or Whatever You Call This

Chapter 1

_Miss Hermione Jane Granger,_

_It is my pleased responsibility to inform you that you as well as 200 others have been specially selected to participate in a new program at the Ministry of Magic, the New Era Generation Propagate Program. This program induces those of superior intellect, such as you, to help create a new generation. Witches and Wizards all over Britain and Ireland are to be wed to others of this group, and will procreate to help to counter the severe decline in the magical community. Witches and Wizards of all blood-status' are eligible, within the age group of seventeen to seventy. As well, you are required to report to the Ministry Lobby on the 17__th__ of August for further examination. This is to narrow the selection and help us better match you to your suitor. _

_I wish you an excellent afternoon, and good luck!_

_Mrs. Suzanne Collin-Jenkins_

_Department of Experimental Studies_

By the time she had finished reading the letter firmly clutched in her hand, she was kneeling in front of the fireplace in the living room of her parent's house. She hurled a handful of floo powder into the fire, and choked out the Weasley's address.

...

Suzanne hummed to herself as she traveled the lift to the fourth floor. She smiled indulgently at Dolores, who in turn flashed her wide smile, all teeth.

"How goes it?" Asked Dolores sweetly. Suzanne gave a tinkling laugh.

"Wonderful. Just going to Lorn- ah, I mean Minister Blalan, with the final drafts of the contracts." She told the Secretary to the Minister. Dolores Umbridge gave her own girlish giggle.

"Delightful!" The lift dinged and the ministry witch's voice informed them that they were indeed now at the fourth floor. Suzanne Collin-Jenkins exited the elevator after briefly clasping a hand with her friend's in delight. As the lifts closed behind her, she saw Dolores' positively devilish smirk.

...

They had all gotten one. Alright, well not all... But most of them had. Ginny had already contacted a few friends when Hermione had arrived. The Patil twins, Seamus, Luna, Lavender. All of them had gotten the letter. As well as her brothers, Fred, George, Charlie, Percy. But not Ron.

Hermione had exited the fireplace in a rage.

"Who do they bloody think they are? _Summoning_ people there to report for _examinations_! And for what? To become _breeding stock_! People won't stand for this!" She practically screamed. Most of the Weasleys were assembled in the small kitchen of the Burrow. She saw four ministry envelopes sitting on the table in the middle.

"So you've gotten one as well then?" Muttered Fred glaring at the enveloped as if to set them on fire with his eyes.

"What? You've gotten one?" Yelped Ron from beside George. Hermione nodded once, sharply and threw her matching envelope onto the table.

"Whose are those?" She asked looking at the now five envelopes.

"Fred's, Charlie's, Percy's, and George's." Murmured Ginny, whose voice was muffled as she had her head down and was speaking into the tabletop. Mrs. Weasley, Hermione noted, was crying slightly into her husband's chest, who also had a hard look in his eyes. At that second, the floo flared behind Hermione, and she turned to see who it was. Harry stepped out of the green flames, a murderous look on his face. He threw his envelope to the table when he saw the pile.

"Who is this Suzanne Collin-Jenkins?" He spat. "What the _fuck_ gives her the right to mess around with _my_ bloody life!"

"I expect there will be something in the evening prophet coming along soon." Charlie said in an oddly hollow voice. Hermione looked at him worriedly. It sounded as if he had completely given up hope. Well she hadn't. She decided with steely reserve. Not yet. The hoot of an owl at the window took everyone's attention. Ginny rushed over to get it. Her eyes scanned the piece of parchment quickly.

"Luna has gotten one as well." She said, "As did Neville." A loud bang made everyone jump.

"_Neville! Neville has got one? Freaking Neville Longbottom?" _Yelled Ron, now very red in the face. He jumped up and stomped out of the room. Eyes turned in her direction, as if expecting Hermione to run after him. She ignored the Weasleys, instead going over to the pile of letters at the table. She ripped them from their envelope, checking to make sure they were all the same, and none held more information. The floo flared for a second time since Hermione had arrived. Out stepped Bill who looked very much as if he were about to cry. He added his own crumpled letter to the pile and walked on by the rest of his family in a daze. Hermione snatched it up feverishly, and dropped it as if burned a second later. It was the very same. Bill would not marry Fleur. He was in the pool to be chosen from.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N- My own spin on the classic Marriage Law. All characters except the unrecognizable belong to Ms. Rowling, as well as the universe.

Peace, Or Whatever You Call This

Chapter 2

Fleur Delacour threw a vase at the wall. It smashed into thousands of tiny pieces. She gave an enraged yell as she kicked the table beside her as hard as she could. One of the table's legs broke off and it was sent into the far wall. She caught sight of herself in the mirror that was hung on the wall and froze. She looked the monster that had been her Grandmother when she had gotten angry. And her mother. She yanked the mirror off of the wall with a great heave and threw it to the floor where it shattered. From there she dissolved into a sobbing heap on the floor. The Brits were _so_ rude! How_ dare _they take Bill from her_?_ The wedding is next week. No, she corrected herself.

_Was_.

...

Bill was beside himself. What had he done to deserve this? His life was going well, until now. He had a beautiful fiancé who actually liked him for him, he had a good job at Gringotts. He had a supporting family, and a sweet house. Maybe that was it. He was too happy. He should have expected it not to last. One person can't have too much happiness, he supposed. He was in his old room in the Burrow. It seemed bittersweet. When he had gotten the letter, Fleur was completely shocked. Then angry. She didn't have anyone else to be immediately angry at, naturally as he was the only one there... But he didn't begrudge her that. He would have done the same in her position. He knew she needed a bit to calm down, and he needed to find out more information on this thing. He floo'd back to the burrow. There he only found more letters. And his family were only as confused as he. There was a quiet knock at the door.

"Um, Bill, I am really sorry to interrupt you, but the prophet is here. I should think you would want to know what is going on." Hermione said from the doorframe. He looked up, finding her eyes as upset as his own. Without question, she had also gotten one. Bill sighed and got up from the single bed he had been sitting on.

"Thanks Hermione." He told her lowly.

"Bill, don't give in so easily. We can find a way out of this." She said, sudden determination burning behind her eyes. Bill just nodded morosely and went to the kitchen to find the rest of his family looking at Charlie who held the paper. Hermione followed Bill into the room and took a seat next to Charlie. Charlie began reading out loud.

_**New Era Generation Propagate Program Begins.**_

_The solution to our declining population problem has been solved by ministry official Suzanne Collin-Jenkins of the experimental programs department this month. The minister had just approved the program, which will instigate immediately. Select wizards and witches will report to the Ministry on August 17__th__ to be examined and placed with another of this group based on the results. Alternate Suitors may submit requests to be placed with others, which will be taken into consideration. Once matched, the two will bond in a simple ceremony and be required to produce at least one heir. The people affected by this new program are witches and wizards form the ages 17 to 70 with extraordinarily high intellect... _

"And then it goes off talking about the new Minister and how this is one of many changes he is going to make, and he gives an interview." Said Charlie with a deep frown.

"Well that is about what the letters said." Said Harry. But Ron was standing up.

"No! Not about the alternate suitors! I could submit a request to marry Hermione and they might let me!" He said excitedly. Hermione had frozen when he had began to speak. The other Weasleys and Harry saw her alarmed look, but Ronald was too excited to notice.

"I'll owl them this minute!" he said, running out of the room to find some parchment.

"Fleur is a pureblood..." Mumbled Bill to the tabletop quietly. "She can't even petition." Nearly everyone in the room had a similar look of defeat.

"What is _wrong_ with you all? We will find a way out of this!" Hermione said, absolute fury burning behind her eyes.

"Hermione..." Said Arthur quietly from the corner. "There isn't much we can do. The minister passed a new bill. The best we can hope for is an appeal, but that will take years. In the meantime, you will just have to go with it, it seems."

"Well, I don't think so!" She seethed and stepped into the fireplace, vanishing with a green 'pop'.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N- My own spin on the classic Marriage Law. All characters except the unrecognizable belong to Ms. Rowling, as well as the universe.

Peace, Or Whatever You Call This

Chapter 3

She threw herself into research, as she had done at Hogwarts when she had been a student. She contacted Minerva McGonagall, seeking advice after not being able to find any loopholes.

"I am sorry my dear." The Transfiguration Mistress said sadly, offering tea which Hermione gladly accepted. "But Severus did exactly as you did when he got his letter. He's been working at it night and day, and hasn't found a single thing. I was helping him before but I really do not think that there is any alternative." Hermione sighed.

"I suspected Professor Snape would receive one. Do you know of anyone else?"She asked.

"Well, Seven Sinestra, as well as Rolonda Hooch. Other than that, I really haven't a clue. Do you know of others?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George Weasley, Harry, Neville, Luna, Padma and Pavarti Patil." Hermione listed off. "I suspect we shall know more soon. The seventeenth is in only a few days."

"It is very upsetting that so many young adults have to now give up their futures for this..." McGonagall was temporarily at a loss for words. "You know Hermione; I was actually going to offer you a teaching position if you wanted. I heard from Molly Weasley that you didn't want to work for the ministry. Unless you had another idea for what you wanted to do for a year or two... But then this happens. Please do know that if it works out with your new husband for you to work here, if you want, you are always welcome to the job."

"Really? Oh that would be so wonderful! But of course, I can't get ahead of myself... If I am to go along with this whole Marriage thing, there is no telling who my... _Husband_ will be. And I really have no intention of going along with it anyway. I've gone over that bloody document so many times I've got it memorised." Hermione sighed.

"Well dear, perhaps Severus has thought of something. If not, perhaps you can work on it together? I expect that if anyone can find a way out of this, it would be the two of you. The trick, of course, would be getting him to realize that. Would you be up to that? Trying alongside Severus?" Minerva asked.

"At this point, I'll do about anything." Hermione answered sullenly.

"Very good. I believe he is in the library at the moment. Shall we drop in on him?" Minerva asked, standing. Hermione shrugged.

"Sure." She said. "But I don't expect him to be pleased with seeing me again."

"He will get over it." Minerva said dryly.

They found Severus Snape bent over a large volume that Hermione recognized as she had just looked in it regarding the new law. His head was in his hands and he seemed quite intent in his work. It was a shame to disrupt him.

"Severus." Minerva called to him, making him raise his head with a sigh.

"What is it Minerva? I really don't have time for... Ah Ms. Granger." He sneered her name lightly. "To what do I owe this... pleasure...?" He asked slowly, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Severus, be civil. Hermione is no longer a student; you don't have to take that tone." Minerva said to Snape who merely rolled his eyes. "She, like you, has been attempting to find a way out of this Marriage Law and I had the idea that if you worked together, perhaps you will find something." Instead of making a snarky remark as Hermione had expected, Snape sighed deeply.

"I can't find a thing. I don't think that even the both of us have a chance of it. I'm quite close to just giving up really." He said resignedly to his friend, looking back at her to find that Ms. Granger had apparently left. Hermione had gone down one of the isles however, and was currently searching for a particular book. Back in third year when she was looking to clear Buckbeak the Hippogriff's name, she had read many books on the law. She was currently searching for one now.

"Ah!" She said with pleasure when she found it, summoning it from the tall shelf. She brought it back to where Snape and McGonagall were talking softly and sat down at one of the tables nearby. Then she shrugged off her shoulder bag and began taking several enormously thick books from it and settling down at the table. She flipped to a particular page in one book, and opened another. Then she took the book she had just found and opened it, flipping through chapters. She murmured to herself as she read a passage, took out a quill and roll of parchment from her bag and made a few notes while reading another paragraph.

"Hermione?" A voice directly behind her made her jump.

"Hmm? Oh sorry Professor- I mean Minerva. But I had been searching for this book everywhere, I remembered reading a part of it back in third year and thought it may have some relevance." She explained quickly, turning the page and skimming the contents.

"I did look in that book already Ms. Granger." Snape said from behind her.

"Yes, the information I am looking for isn't exactly from this book. It references... somewhere here... a page... Ah, yes." She fell silent, engrossed in her work. One minute she was reading, body unmoving, the next she was a flurry of motion. She ripped open a closed book from the pile on the table, frantically searching for something. Then froze.

"What? Why isn't it...?" She murmured to herself before standing up and hurrying down a row of books. "It has to be... Somewhere..." She was muttering. Snape and McGonagall exchanged looks of confusion.

"Here!" Hermione said, jumping up and grabbing a book off the top shelf. It was a copy of one of the books she already had at the table. She came back over, and then began searching frantically through it. She came to a certain page then stopped.

"What? No! It can't be!" She cried.

"Ms. Granger!" Professor McGonagall said, astounded at the younger woman's behaviour. "What in Dumbledore's name are you doing?"

"They've taken it out. The ministry's taken two chapters out of this bloody book." Hermione said quietly, her voice sounding defeated. "I'd remembered the reference, and had looked it up in my third year... I was looking for anything I thought would help... but sometime since then the ministry contacted the author or editor or_ someone_ who took the two chapters out of the book. And I can't remember what it said! They must have put some sort of ward or enchantment on the content... Blast!"

"You remember reading from a book from your third year? My goodness!" McGonagall was saying, sounding astounded. Hermione wasn't listening though.

"I must... make sure my theory is correct. I need to find more copies..." She murmured before jumping back up and bidding her two ex-professors goodbye.

"I will see you on Tuesday Minerva, goodbye Professor Snape." She spared before shoving all of her books back into her magically expanded bag and sending the others back, rushing out of the Hogwarts Library.


End file.
